Imagine if the government decided what you could watch on TV and how to dress your hair. In North Korea, this is a reality. Timothy Cho, a man who escaped North Korea, shared his story about life there. He explained that buying a TV in North Korea is strictly monitored. “If you buy a TV, the government comes to your house and removes all antennas, leaving just one,” he said.
TV in North Korea is All About the Kim Family
Cho described how North Koreans can only watch certain shows. “Everything is about the Kim family—programs, songs, and documentaries—24/7,” he said. There’s no choice in what to watch; all content serves as propaganda for the Kim family.
Strict Rules About Everyday Life
The rules in North Korea don’t just stop at TV. Even haircuts are controlled by the government. Children must pick from only a few approved haircuts, and if their hair is too long, it can cause trouble for their parents. “If someone has a different hairstyle, their parents might be called to the police station,” Cho explained.
Escaping from North Korea is Hard
North Korea has been ruled by the Kim family since 1948, with Kim Jong-un currently in charge. The country is very isolated, making it hard to learn about the daily lives of regular North Koreans. Most of the information comes from those who have escaped, like Cho.
Since the 1950s, about 31,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea, often first passing through China. In 2009, the number of people escaping peaked at nearly 3,000 but has dropped since Kim Jong-un made crossing the border tougher after becoming leader in late 2011.
However, in 2023, South Korea saw nearly three times the number of North Koreans escaping compared to the last two years. Many were younger people or from higher-status families, including diplomats and students. The main reasons for escaping are changing; many now flee because they are unhappy with the government, while before, food shortages were the biggest reason. According to surveys, 23% of defectors said they left due to political unhappiness, and just over 21% cited food problems.
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